Parent Trap - Final Installment

It's sad that we are dealing with so many divorced families - but it's just lovely that everyone can put on a happy face for their daughter or son's wedding. Regardless of the happy face, we do our best to make sure everyone is comfortable.



That is where the issue of seating comes into play.



Cheap Seats



Problem:: "My parents don't get along at all. I can't imagine seating them anywhere near each other durning the ceremony. What should I do?"



Solution:: At a typical wedding, the first few rows of seats are reserved for close family members, with parents in teh front row, grandparents and siblings in the second row, and so on. If the relationship between your parents is that tense, tradition wedding etuquette states that the parent to whom you feel the closest - let's say it's your mom- would sit in the front row, while your dad would sit in the thrid or fourth row (with your stepmother, if he has remarried).

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Blogging Brides!

Name: Holly



Location: Living in Lake Zurich, IL (a northwest suburb of Chicago) and getting married in my hometown of Iron Mountain, MI (located in the Upper Peninsula)

Blog: a small town bride

Wedding Date: Sept. 5, 2009 -- Labor Day weekend!



What do you do in real life?

I am a biomedical engineer working on a next-generation patient monitor/defibrillator. My title is "Requirements Analyst" but I basically try to narrow the gap between marketing and engineering, researching what our customers want and translating it into engineering terms.



Favorite Part about Planning your Wedding?

Having an excuse to do the things I love. Crafty DIY details will be in abundance on our wedding day. And I'll be honest, planning my wedding is starting to make me reevaluate my career choices!



Least Favorite Part about Planning your Wedding?

The lack of options while planning a wedding in a small town. My vision for the wedding and reality are not always in agreement. It's difficult to choose a reception location when there aren't any to pick from!



What is the best piece of wedding advice you've ever received?

First I'd like to give the worst wedding advice I've ever received, and it seems to be the only advice I've been hearing recently: "It will all work out in the end." It will only work out because we do something to make it work out, things typically don't just fall into place themselves! But I received the best piece of wedding advice from my fiance's sister Angela, who said "Remember the meaning of the day and not all of the details...it's so much more enjoyable!"



More from Holly next Tuesday....



If you'd like to be a Blogging Bride, please email me at melissa {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net

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Just Do It!

I am not one to push my polictical agenda on you. And I'm not going to.



I just want you to remember tomorrow that when you wake up, it's your Right as an American to vote. I don't care who you vote for {actually I do...} but you need to vote. Vote for who, you feel in your heart is right. When it's you and that little booth, do what you feel is the right thing to do.



And remember if you don't vote, you have no reason to complain over the next 4 years. When you don't vote, you are taking your Democracy for granted. Remember there are alot of people who don't have the same rights as we do as Americans - and we tend to take what we have for granted.



Either way it's a historical election!



We are living history here, and it's incredible to live where live and how we live!



{stepping off my soap box}

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Parent Trap III

We know that dealing with divorced family members is a big stressor, and adds to the "making everyone happy" role. We are trying to help you keep the peace, and give you a handy trouble shooting guide.



Walk the Line



Problem:: "My Stepfather feels more like a "father" to me than my real dad, and I'dlike him to walk me down the aisle. Is there a way to do this without hurting my dad?"



Solution:: This is definately a toughy! First, whatever you are going to do, tell your dad{s} in advance, we had one bride wait until the rehearsal to deal with the situation and that was hurtful on all accounts. But to avoid hurting your dad's feelings, consider these other possiblilites: If your "fathers" get along well, perhaps they can both walk you down the aisle, one on each arm. If there's friction between the two, your stepfather can walk you halfway down, and your dad, who can then escort you the rest of the way to your groom, or vise versa.



Then the question remains, who gives this woman....? You can always have them say together in unison, "We Do" or "Her Families and I"... but that's up to you.

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